Monday, 9 December 2013

Necron codex synergy review part 1 - Troops

Ok, having laboured for ages over the synergy review of the Dark Eldar codex, Let's start having a look at the Necrons.This first section would be the quickest ever given the limited options available, so I'll include dedicated transport in here too.Necron Warriors.Literally no options here, and on that basis I reckon they probably qualify as the most basic troop type in the game. The only choice you have is how many you want, between 5 and 20. The gauss flayer does give you a bit of anti vehicle capability however, to the point where even a landraider will worry if enough of these are levelled at it (it's actually fewer than you might think, statistically speaking a unit of 20 of these bad boys in rapid fire range should wreck a land raider in a turn).Other than that, you can decide which of two transports you want to use, but I'll deal with those later.Conclusion: Very basic troop, it's standard armament gives it tactical flexibility to take on both infantry and tanks, so synergises reasonably well with whatever purpose you're planning on using them for.Necron ImmortalsSimilar to the Necron Warriors, but you can't have as many. They do have a better save though and their guns are stronger, meaning that they have even more capability against lighter vehicles. They have an option however, as they can take a different kind of gun (see how generous Mr Ward has been to you Necron generals? An option!).Tesla Carbines. If the Gauss Flayer synergises well due to its tactical flexibility, the Tesla Carbine is the opposite. This gun is a dedicated horde killer, with one major drawback, it allows all armour saves. All of them. Even the ventilated skin tight PVC trousers that Wyches wear have the opportunity to give you protection against a tesla weapon (I guess they must be insulated ventilated skin tight PVC trousers!).Conclusion: The immortals come in as an 'elite troop', and their standard armament backs that up. The alternate weapon they carry however is a disappointment, limiting their tactical application more than the basic option. Tactically therefore I wouldn't advise using the alternate weapon, and in synergy terms it actually takes away from the unit as they're no longer able to support the anti-vehicle role.Catacomb Command BargeBasically a one-man transport, the weapon comes equipped as basic with a tesla cannon, and the quantum shielding rule effectively increases its armour until the first penetrating hit is scored. The main synergistic elements of the transport however come from its attack methods and repair work. Whilst on board, your character cannot be targeted directly, but can still make a number of attacks as it flies over the opposition. The character can also give up wounds to increase the survivability of the vehicle (and therefore its main weapon).On this occasion, the tesla cannon the vehicle comes equipped with as basic can be just as useful as the optional Gauss Cannon. The Tesla cannon provides more firepower at the expense of an AP value, but the extra point of strength does at least mean that you can ID average toughness models.Conclusion:Doesn't synergise hugely with the rest of the army, but works extremely well with your HQ to increase the survivability of both units.Ghost ArkAs a troop transport for the basic Necron Warriors it has some limited availability to the army as a whole. With no vehicular upgrades it is again a fairly limited option, but does allow the unit embarked on it to effectively split its fire. It has one major trick up its sleeve though in returning fallen Necron Warriors to the field, and in that respect, it synergises extremely well if your army contains significant numbers of these models.Conclusion: Synergises very well if you've got lots of warriors, and multiple arks will really frustrate your opponent if they're trying to whittle your forces down.Night ScytheWithout a doubt the safest way to transport your troops in the entire 40k universe, as if the transport explodes, they're unaffected. It's quite adaptable as well, since it can even protect tomb blades in this way. As with most of the Necron codex though, it has a distinct lack of options, with no way to change the model's basic armament. There's not really a need to however, since it's the best tesla gun you can get. Really high strength means it can even cause some vehicles to think twice, and with the number of shots it can pump out, plus the arc ability means it is capable of acting in a support role against all but the heaviest armoured vehicles.Conclusion:Particularly after reviewing the Dark Eldar Codex, the ability to transport units in utter safety gives you the kind of confidence no other transport can, and its armament is capable of engaging a sufficient variety of targets to make it synergise well with other units wherever it is on the table.